AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY; OR, THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BIRDS OF THE UNITED STATES: ILLUSTRATED WITH PLATES Engraved and Colored from Original Drawings taken from Nature
DateJanuary 1, 1810
Maker
Alexander Wilson
(1766-1813)
Publisher
Bradford & Inskeep
Printer
R. & W. Carr
MediumBlack and white line engravings colored by hand, text pages, bound with leather spines and marbleized boards
Dimensions11" (h) X 14" (h) X 3/4"
Credit LineMuseum Purchase
Object number2018-147,2
DescriptionLabel Text2018-147, 2- Volume 2
Contains a Title page, Preface, an Index to the second volume, and
nine plates illustrating 44 species accompanied by text for each. For each bird, Wilson cited publications in which they had been previously illustrated.
Plate X
Mocking-Bird
Humming-Bird (male and female)
Towhe Bunting
Plate XI
Cardinal Grosbeak (male and female, and egg)
Scarlet Tanager (male and female, and egg)
Plate XII
Rice Bunting (male and female)
Red-Eyed Flycatcher
Marsh Wren
Great Carolina Wren
Yellow-Throat Warbler
Plate XIII
Tyrant Flycatcher, or King-Bird
Great Crested Flycatcher
Small Green, Crested Flycatcher
Pewit Flycatcher
Wood Pewee Flycatcher
Plate XIV
Ferruginous Thrush
Golden-Crowned Thrush
Cat-Bird
Bay-Brested Warbler
Chesnut-Sided Warbler
Mourning Warbler
Plate XV
Red-Cockaded Woodpecker
Brown-Headed Nuthatch
Pigeon Hawk (male)
Blue-Winged Yellow Warbler
Blue-Eyed Yellow Warbler
Golden-Winged Warbler
Black-Throated Blue Warbler
Plate XVI
American Sparrow Hawk (female)
Field Sparrow
Tree Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Snow-Bird
Plate XVII
Pine Finch
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak
Black-Throated Green Warbler
Yellow-Rump Warbler
Caerulean Warbler
Solitary Flycatcher
Plate XVIII
Cow Bunting (male, female, and young)
Maryland Yellow-Throat
Small Blue Grey Flycatcher
White-Eyed Flycatcher
InscribedInscription on the second flyleaf of Volume 2, opposite the title page:
"To Mr. William Bartram
From the author"
Inscription on the front flyleaf of Volume 1, second issue, October 1, 1808:
"This Copy of the first two volumes of the ornithology was purchased in Paisley when procuring information and materials for the Biography of Wilson. on shewing them to Mr. Ord while at Jardine Hall in 1855, he recognized the hand writing of Wilson on the title of the 2nd volume and considered it as one of the very first copies of the work coloured by Wilson's own hand. The first copy he presented to his father, the second to his friend Bartram-- This Edition is remarkable also in plate VII, in the later editions the red bellied Woodpecker in plate VII was not considered fortunate in attitude was altered bu Mr Lawson as may be seen on comparing the annexed plate copied from the second edition with that in this volume. The attitude of the head was erased and reengraved-- the Insect on the Branch on which the cedar Bird is perched added
Jardine Hall
oct. 3d 1855"
ProvenanceVolumes 1 and 2 were presented to William Bartram (the inscription is in volume 2). Presumably Bartram was presented with the first issue of volume 1. The two copies of volume 1 and 2 were then owned by William Jardine (see the inscription in on the endpaper of volume 2). Volumes 3-9 are inscribed "John Ford." The entire set, including the Bonapart volumes, the original watercolor, and 2 manuscript letters were owned by Dr. Evan Morton Evans (1870-1955) and his son Daniel Webster Evans (1907-1966). The most recent owner, prior to being purchased by Colonial Williamsburg, was New York collector Gilbert Butler.
